Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Triton was on edge.

The sea churned violently, its waves crashing, as if she were trying to warn him about something. Just coming back from a tiring errand to South America for his father, Triton really didn't want to deal with any nasty surprise tonight. He wanted to be back to Atlantis as soon as possible, and straight to his bed.

Sadly, he had a feeling that his wish wouldn't be granted any time soon.

As if answering his thought, a dark shape gradually emerged from the depths of the sea.

A huge dark shape.

As the shape became clearer, Triton’s mouth fell open in disbelief, his heart racing in fright.

It was the Kraken. 

What was the Kraken doing here? He was only a few miles away from Atlantis. The Kraken shouldn't be able to come so near to his home.

His musing was rudely interrupted by the Kraken's sudden attack.

If Triton had not been so tired, he might have been able to escape from the Kraken with some difficulty. But in his current state, he stood no chance against the monstrous creature.

The mass of tentacles attacked him from seemingly everywhere. One thick tentacle coiled around his throat, another one wound around his waist, and still others twisted his hands behind his back, trapping him effectively.

The Kraken had been aggressive toward children of the sea after the First Titanomachy, and now it had him in its grasp, it wouldn't let him go anytime soon.

Triton thrashed violently in the water, his tail slapping against the tentacles in a futile attempt to break free. The Kraken's enormous yellow eyes gleamed with cruelty, and Triton could feel pure menace radiated from it like waves. The tentacles squeezed tighter. Triton wondered, in his fading consciousness, how long it would take to choke a god to death.

Gods couldn't die, but they could still be injured serious enough that they faded.

Something small shot past his face, and the Kraken let out an angry shriek. 

The tentacle around his throat loosened. The small shape zipped by him again, and the Kraken let out another shriek, this time clearly in pain.

It also gave Triton a chance to see his savior clearly for the first time. It was a seal. A harp seal to be precise.

The little seal then dove for the Kraken's eyes bravely, but it wasn't so lucky this time. With a deafening roar, a tentacle shot out and struck the seal, sending it flying.

However, since the Kraken was concentrating on the little seal, the tentacles around Triton's body had loosened further. He pulled his hands free and conjured his trident.

Triton threw his trident straight toward one of the Kraken's glowing eyes. His aim was true, and the trident struck its intended mark. The Kraken wailed in agony and finally released him.

He swam toward the seal, which was now floating limply in the water, and grabbed it. With the seal safely in his arms, he sped away from the Kraken without a glance back. 

Triton fled for what felt like hours before he considered that it was safe enough to take a break. He looked down at his unlikely savior, and his heart skipped a beat.

The baby harp seal (It certainly hadn't reached adulthood yet, for its fur was still white and its size was so small) looked terrible. One of its flippers hung limply at its side, clearly broken. Few droplets of red blood dotted on the white fur around its mouth. Internal injury, Triton thought worriedly.The seal whimpered softly as Triton gently ran his hands over its body.

“You shouldn't risk yourself to save me” Triton chided the seal pup, frowning when it let out little noises of pain as he probed at its broken ribs. “I could have handled the Kraken.”

The seal gave him a look, clearly unimpressed.

Well, maybe he couldn't. 

“You need help.” Triton murmured to the young seal, stroking its head. Its snowy white fur was oddly dry and fluffy despite being in the water. “I can take you to Atlantis and get your wound treated.” 

Okay. The seal answered with a soft tone. Triton was surprised. With how much pain the seal must be in, he didn't expect it to be able to answer him verbally. Triton smiled inwardly. The seal was surely a fierce little warrior.

Atlantis was actually not far from their current position, and they arrived at their destination without any further accidents. Triton received a few odd looks as he swam into the palace carrying a baby harp seal, but he ignored all of them and went straight to the healing hall.

The head healer, Coral, greeted him with a slight smile as he entered the hall. Though her face twisted into a funny expression as she saw the seal in Triton's arms.

The seal waved the unbroken flipper at her, widening its baby seal eyes adorably. But Coral just raised an eyebrow at it, unimpressed. The seal widened its eyes further, trying to look as innocent as possible. 

Coral didn't buy it. “What happened this time?” She asked exasperatedly.

“You know it?” Triton whipped his head around to the healer, surprised. 

“We've met.” Coral said simply. She motioned Triton to put the harp seal on one of the beds in the healing hall, and then she moved away to fetch what Triton assumed was a healing potion. It was not until Coral started to pour the potion into a small cup that Triton realized the healing potion was not a potion at all.

It's nectar.

‘’You are giving nectar to it?” Triton cried out in horror, moving to block Coral's way. “It will be burned to ash!”

Coral gave him a strange look. “I know what I am doing.” Her eyes widened in dawning realization. ‘’You don't recognize him?”

Triton observed the seal as Coral slowly dripped the nectar into the seal's mouth. The seal was panting slightly, its sea green eyes half lidded with pain and exhaustion.

Sea green eyes. 

“Perseus?” Triton asked hesitantly. He had heard of his half-brother's other form, but hadn't seen it himself before. He tried to avoid his half brother as much as possible.

“Yes.” Coral answered, putting the empty cup aside. She then unfurled a blanket over the seal. “You should be able to change back now.” She told it.

The lump under the blanket squirmed, then suddenly transformed. Triton found himself looking at his half-brother lying on the bed. Perseus looked fine, though a little pale. The bruises and scrapes from the fight with the Kraken were already healing,  

Coral swam closer to examine Perseus’ injuries, all the while scolding him for his rashness. Perseus listened with a sheepish expression, occasionally wincing as she touched a sore spot.

Finally, Coral swam back. “The wounds are healing nicely. You'll be fine in no time.” She bowed slightly to them “If you'll excuse me, my lords. I still have patients to tend to.”

She left swiftly, leaving two of them stared at each other.

Not knowing what to say. Triton blurted out the first question that came to mind. “You chose to fight the Kraken in your seal form?”

“You can be a little more grateful.” Perseus rolled his eyes. That impertinent mortal. ‘’I saved you, didn't I?‘’

Triton shifted uncomfortably. He and Perseus hadn't always been on the best of terms. In fact, it was only recently that their relationship improved and they became somewhat civil to each other.

“You were dying.”

“Pardon?” Triton asked, startled from his thought.

“You were getting strangled by the Kraken.” Percy averted his eyes, fidgeting with the blanket slightly. “I panicked and couldn't change back to my human form.”

Despite himself, Triton felt a warmth spread through him at Perseus' words. It was nice to know that someone cared about him, even if it was a mortal.

“Perseus-”

“Percy.” Perseus interrupted.

“Percy.” Triton amended. “Thank you, brother.‘‘ He said sincerely.

Percy startled, and looked up at him in disbelief. But slowly, a small smile broke his face, making him look more like his age, a young child.

“You called me brother. You've never called me your brother before.” Percy beamed a smile so blinding that Triton couldn't help but respond in kind. Then a mischievous glint appeared in his brother's eyes.

Triton blinked. Then there was a harp seal in his brother's place.

Come, the seal waved a flipper at him in a demanding manner. We are cuddling. 

Triton wanted to refuse, but one sad look from the baby seals eyes made him give in. With an indulgent sigh, Triton climbed up to the bed, made awkward by his tail, but he managed to find a comfortable position leaning on the headboard. As soon as he settled, the seal snuggled up to him, purring contently. Running his hand gently through the soft white fur, he could finally relax after the tiring day.

There were still some unresolved issues between them that needed to be discussed. But for now, with his brother beside him, Triton was at peace for the first time in a long time. 

Chapter Text

‘‘Move, you lazy mortal.’’

If a harp seal could pout, it would be what Percy was doing.

Don't wanna, Percy curled up tighter on Triton's chest, making no move to get up. You're comfy.

Poseidon stifled a laugh at the doorway, his heart filling with relief. When Poseidon heard about his sons’ encounter with the Kraken, he thought that his immortal heart would stop at that moment. He rushed to the healing hall immediately after, fearing what condition he would find his boys in. Imagine his surprise when instead he found that his sons were nestled together, resting peacefully.

Triton was not so peaceful now, though. His face had become an interesting shade of gold, and he looked seconds away from shoving his brother down the bed.

“I have things to do!” Triton snarled angrily at the seal.

Deciding to save his older son from further misery, Poseidon swam to the bed and scooped Percy up into his arms, causing the seal to let out a little squeak in surprise.

“Father,” Triton scrambled down the bed, bowing respectfully.

Poseidon nodded at him, stroking Percy’s head. The harp seal purred softly, already drifting back to sleep. 

Because of the Ancient Law, he couldn't interact with his mortal children as much as he'd like, but it didn't mean that he paid no attention to them. He knew Percy had been plagued by nightmares ever since his journey through Tartarus, and rarely slept through a whole night as a result. Seeing Percy relaxed, even in his seal form, filled Poseidon with quiet joy.

“Where were you rushing to?” Poseidon raised an eyebrow at his other son, recalling Triton's earlier outburst.

“The council this afternoon,” Triton replied, confusion clear in his voice. “Aren't you supposed to attend too?”

Poseidon cursed in an unkingly manner, making Triton glance at him in surprise. He had completely forgotten about the meeting. Poseidon groaned inwardly. He had hoped to spend some time with Percy now that the boy was in Atlantis. He could skip the council, but Amphitrite would probably chew him out if he did.

Sighing, Poseidon shifted Percy in his arms and prepared to put him back on the bed, but the seal burrowed further into his chest, letting out a soft chirp of protest.

"Fine," Poseidon murmured, considering. "You’re coming with us."

Percy let out a sleepy trill in response, nuzzling into Poseidon’s hand. Cradling the harp seal gently, Poseidon turned to Triton, only to find his eldest son watching him with an unreadable expression. 

“What?” Poseidon demanded self-consciously.

“Nothing.” Triton said quickly, averting his eyes. “We should go now if we don't want to be late.”

Poseidon frowned but didn’t press further. Triton was right—they couldn’t tarry any longer unless they wanted to face Amphitrite’s wrath.

------------

By the time they reached the council hall, the council had already begun.

“You are late.” Amphitrite hissed as Poseidon slid into his seat beside her. Poseidon winced, managing a contrite expression at her. Her eyes softened a little as she saw Percy though.

Once seated, Poseidon discreetly hid Percy under the driftwood table, setting the seal on his lap. Percy fussed for a moment at the disturbance, but he soon settled back to sleep as Poseidon stroked his back gently.

 Most of the council members barely spared him a glance—it wasn’t the first time he was late to a meeting, after all— but a few sent disapproving frowns his way. Poseidon responded with an apologetic smile that felt more like a grimace.

The council dragged on, and Poseidon almost joined Percy in sleeping. He stared blankly at the intricate wave pattern adorned with pearls that shimmered softly on the wall, trying and failing to focus on councilor Amnisos, who was even older than Poseidon, drawled on and on about a trade agreement. Poseidon absentmindedly scratched Percy’s neck under the table, earning a soft purr from the seal. He felt Percy move on his lap and then let out a yawn.

Poseidon felt like yawning himself. He wondered if it was the councilor's goal to bore him into an early fading. He knew Amnisos, who was one of Amphitrite's numerous brothers, had never approved of him on the throne, nor his marriage with Amphitrite. 

“Fresh water is more valuable!” Amnisos shouted. Poseidon blinked. He didn't notice that Amnisos had finished his speech some time ago, and now the river god was in a heated debate with other councilors.

“Most of our citizens are sea creatures!” Delphin, a long-time friend of Poseidon, shot back. “Fresh water kills them！‘’

The room erupted into chaos as river gods and naiads protested loudly, while sea creatures and their allies countered with equal fervor. Poseidon sighed, his head pounding from the noise.

“Please.” Amnisos cried out, his voice raised higher. He tried for a placating smile but only succeeded in twisting his face into a scowl. “The price is too-”

A thunderous snore echoed through the council chamber.

The entire room froze. Poseidon’s hand tightened on Percy’s fur under the table, but the damage was done. The culprit stretched contentedly on his lap, still sleeping soundly.

Amnisos, seething with rage, turned to face Poseidon, his disdain palpable.

"Your majesty," Amnisos sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Do you have anything to add?"

“Uh, no?” Poseidon pulled his left hand from beneath the table, gesturing vaguely. “Please continue.”

Amnisos scowled but resumed his argument, though his voice was noticeably sharper. However, less than ten minutes later, the snoring started again.

“My king! ” Amnisos seethed with rage, and Poseidon wondered if his long beard would be ignited by his fury despite being underwater. “If you can’t stay awake—”

Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by a loud bark. Finally had enough of the voice that kept interrupting his nap. Percy wriggled free from Poseidon's hold and swam up to glare at Amnisos.

“S-seal.” Amnisos stammered, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. But Poseidon knew that once Amnisos came back to his senses, he would start shouting again.

“He hasn't gotten much sleep lately.” Poseidon offered.

Amnisos’ eyes narrowed, his mouth already opening to start a tirade, but he was interrupted again.

Amphitrite stood up and crossed the room, her graceful movements commanding silence. Amphitrite scooped Percy into her arms. The seal nestled into her, purring softly as she stroked his fur.

"I’ll take him outside," Amphitrite said coolly, leveling a cold look around the room as if daring anyone to argue. No one did. Amnisos mumbled something that sounded vaguely like an apology, avoiding her gaze.

Amphitrite spared him a nod as she swam past him to the door. Her long dark hair swung gently as Amphitrite bent down to coo at Percy along the way. Poseidon could only gape at her retreating figure. Though Amphitrite had never been unkind to Poseidon’s demigod children, as Poseidon would always ask for her consent before dating a mortal, she was usually indifferent to them. Seeing her so gentle with Percy was unexpected.

Or maybe Amphitrite just wanted an excuse to leave the council.

The council proceeded smoothly after that, with Amnisos and Delphin finally reaching a compromise after revising some parts of the contract. Another councilor stood up as Amnisos returned to his seat. The nereid, who was probably one of Amphitrite's numerous sisters and didn't like Poseidon, moved haughtily to the front of the hall, preparing to give her presentation. Poseidon sighed, resigning himself to another grueling hour of mind- numbing speech.

------------

After the council adjourned, Poseidon wandered into the palace gardens, seeking Amphitrite and Percy.

The garden of Atlantis was a sight to behold. Vibrant coral reefs wove through the ancient stone pathways, and the bioluminescent corals cast a soft, ethereal glow across the ground. Towering kelp forests swayed gently in the water, shimmering in the filtered light that came out from the palace. In the middle of the vast garden, exotic marine flowers bloomed in a kaleidoscope of colors, their petals opening and closing in rhythm with the tides. 

Amphitrite sat amidst a bed of glowing sea lilies, a serene expression on her face as she flipped through the pages of her book. Nearby, Percy was playing tag with a trio of young sea turtles, circling around a giant violet flower as they chased each other. Triton, who had also come to find his mother, swam to them and was immediately pulled into the game.

Amphitrite glanced up with a smile as she heard him approach. She tilted her head slightly, allowing him to kiss her cheek. 

“He woke up half an hour ago,” she informed Poseidon softly. “He’s good with children.”

“That he is,‘’ Poseidon replied, settling down beside her. He pulled her close, resting his chin gently against her shoulder.

“They seem closer.” Amphitrite observed, nodding toward Triton and Percy. “That's good.”

She sighed, running her fingers across the page of her book. “You know, Triton has often been jealous of his half-siblings. He’s jealous of Perseus too,” she added, glancing at Poseidon. “He thinks you love your mortal children more than him.”

Poseidon felt a sharp pang of guilt and sadness in his heart. He recalled Triton’s expression when he picked Percy up in the healing room. That look, Poseidon realized, had been one of longing.

“But Triton knows I love him,” Poseidon protested weakly. 

Did he, though? Poseidon wondered. Triton was his rightful heir, and he’d given him all the privileges a crown prince deserved. However, with those privileges came responsibility, and Triton had always treated Poseidon with the respect a prince owed his king.

But not with the affection a son would show his father.

Poseidon loved his eldest son deeply, and it pained him to think Triton might not realize that.

“Your mortal children burn so briefly yet so brightly,” Amphitrite continued. “And whenever they visit, you can’t take your eyes off them.”

“And because Percy is mortal, he’ll leave me eventually,” Poseidon said, his heart heavy with the inevitable grief. In the distance, Percy barked playfully at Triton, carefree and joyful.

“I know, and Triton knows it too,” Amphitrite said softly, her expression turning mournful. “He understands what you’re going through, and that’s why he never says anything. Have you forgotten about Pallas?”

“Besides his jealousy, he’s afraid of loving Percy only to lose him.”

They sat in silence for a while, both absorbing the weight of the conversation. The intensity of the topic hung between them, yet there was a shared sense of understanding. They knew the conversation wasn’t over and that they might need to speak with Percy and Triton later, but for now, it was enough.

Suddenly, a white blur barreled into Poseidon, knocking him into Amphitrite. She let out a startled yelp as her book flew from her hands.

Tag! You’re it! Percy declared, laughing as he sped away with his turtle friends. Triton followed close behind, a small smile playing on his lips. He gave Poseidon a victorious smirk as he caught his eyes.

“Oh, you're on." Poseidon muttered with a grin, exchanging a playful glance with Amphitrite before the two of them gave chase.

Laughter echoed throughout Atlantis that night.

Chapter Text

Jason almost missed the seal.

As he made his way down the road to the training grounds, his eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of white, darting just beneath the surface of the camp’s lake. For a moment, Jason thought it was just a trick of the light, but something about its swift, fluid movement made him stop and look again. He doubled back, just in time to see the sleek form of a seal emerging, its white coat blending almost perfectly with the shimmer of the lake.

How did a seal get here? Jason glanced toward the camp’s northern border where the sea lay. Somehow, it had wandered all the way into the lake.

"Definitely lost," Jason muttered to himself. "Trapped, maybe."

But could a seal even survive in freshwater? He frowned. He wasn’t exactly an expert on marine life. He wished Percy was here. The son of Poseidon would surely know what to do with a lost seal. But he hadn't seen Percy around the camp since this morning.

“Come on.” Jason mumbled to himself. “What would Percy do?” 

Probably dive straight into the water and solve the problem within minutes.

“Alright.” Jason took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “You are the slayer of the Trojan sea monster. You can catch a seal.”

Without another moment’s hesitation, he plunged into the lake.

The water was dark and much colder than he expected, sending a shock through his body despite the bright sun overhead. Jason blinked, his eyes adjusting to the dim light beneath the surface. Then he froze—a pair of glowing green eyes were fixed on him, unblinking and eerily still.

Jason jerked back in surprise, choking as he accidentally swallowed a mouthful of the frigid water. The seal's eyes gleamed with mischief, and with a flick of its tail, it shot away into the darker parts of the lake.

Great.

Good news: Jason was a decent swimmer. Bad news: the seal was a far better swimmer and could hold its breath longer. Also, the seal clearly enjoyed this game of cat and mouse.

After a lap of chasing the seal around the lake, Jason was forced to surface for air. The seal popped up right behind him, its whiskered face twisted in what could only be described as a seal’s version of a smug grin.

Jason groaned, treading water. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, his pride stinging more than the cold. He was soaking wet, out of breath, and still no closer to solving the seal problem. Time for a new plan.

He waded out of the lake, shivering as the breeze hit his drenched clothes. The seal continued to float lazily on the surface, occasionally waving its flippers at Jason as if taunting him.

Jason shook his head, muttering a few choice words under his breath as he stomped off toward the strawberry field. 

He figured a satyr might be the next best option for help with the seal, being a nature spirit and all. Fortunately, he literally bumped into Coach Hedge soon after.

"There's a seal in the lake!" Jason blurted, grabbing onto Coach Hedge for balance.

Coach Hedge gave a gruff snort, steadying Jason with one hand while squinting toward the water. “Is he causing trouble?” He looked like he was going to whack the seal with his baseball bat if Jason said yes.

“What? No!” Jason said quickly, water spraying everywhere as he shook his head vigorously. He? Jason thought, confused. “Coach, it's in the lake!.”

Coach Hedge grunted in annoyance. “Then what’s the problem? Let him be.” 

Jason sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "It’s not supposed to be here. I think it’s lost or something.”

Coach Hedge snorted, his baseball bat resting on his shoulder. “I told ya. The seal will be fine. Now, I promised Mellie I’d watch Chuck later, so get lost.”

Coach Hedge marched off before Jason could argue, leaving him standing there, wet and frustrated.

Jason stared after him, feeling rather dejected. What was he supposed to do now?

“We heard you’ve got a seal problem.”

Jason spun around and found himself face to face with the smirking Stoll brothers.

Jason eyed them warily. “Yeah?”

“You should find Annabeth,” Travis suggested, his eyes gleaming with something Jason couldn't name.

Connor snickered. “She’d know where Percy is-”

“-and then you can ask him to, y’know, handle the seal.” Travis finished with a wide grin.

That…was actually a pretty good idea.

Jason straightened up, feeling a glimmer of hope. "Thanks," he muttered, already turning toward the cabins. The brothers snickered to themselves, waving Jason goodbye as they went on their way.

After some asking around, Jason finally found Annabeth sitting on the steps of the amphitheater, engrossed in a thick book. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows across the stone. Annabeth looked up as Jason approached, her expression shifting from mild curiosity to concern when she saw Jason’s disheveled state.

Annabeth listened intently as Jason described the situation, her eyebrows climbing higher and higher with each word. By the time he finished, there was an amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips, though she tried to hide it.

“A seal, you said?” she giggled—actually giggled. Annabeth never giggled. Jason blinked, feeling both confused and slightly offended.  

“Is it a harp seal?” Annabeth tried to keep a straight face, but her resolve crumbled when she saw Jason’s indignant expression. She broke into full-blown laughter.

“A what?” Jason asked, bewildered.

“A harp seal,” she managed between giggles, wiping at her eyes. “Is the seal white?”

“Uh, yeah…it's white." Jason replied, feeling even more lost.

Annabeth took a deep breath, finally calming down, though the corners of her mouth still twitched with amusement. “Alright, I'll take you to Percy.”

Jason’s eyebrows shot up. “You know where he is?”

“Of course,” Annabeth replied, putting her book carefully aside and slinging her backpack over her shoulder. “Come on.”

To Jason's surprise, Annabeth led him straight back to the lake. The seal was still swimming in lazy loops, but it popped its head up and barked at Annabeth as it noticed her approaching.

With a swift flick of its tail, the seal disappeared beneath the surface. Moments later, it resurfaced, clutching a stunning blue shell between its teeth. The shell shimmered like a gem in the sunlight, casting glints of iridescent light across the water. With strong, elegant movements, the seal glided to the lake’s edge, offering the beautiful shell to Annabeth. 

“Oh.” Annbeth breathed as she sat down on a nearby rock, accepting the seal’s gift. Jason couldn’t help but notice the seal's eyes widened adorably, its gaze almost expectant as it watched Annabeth admire the shell with a hint of delight.

“I'm still mad at you.” She told the seal, her fingers tracing the shell’s intricate edges. “You didn't tell Jason?”

The seal let out a soft, almost apologetic bark, and then nudged Annabeth’s legs gently with its nose.

Jason shifted, completely baffled. “Does it…actually understand you?”

Annabeth chuckled and flicked the seal’s head lightly. “Oh, it sure understands me.” She gave the seal a stern look. “Change back. You owe Jason an explanation.”

Jason opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but before he could, the water around the seal started to churn. Out of nowhere, a wave surged upward, lifting the seal high into the air. The wave swirled around the creature, faster and faster, until Jason could no longer make out its form.

A few moments later, the water slowed and cascaded gently back into the lake, leaving the surface smooth and calm again. But the seal was gone—standing in its place was Percy, completely dry, and grinning like nothing had just happened.

“Surprise,” Percy said, spreading his arms with a smirk.

Jason's jaw dropped, speechless.  

“Always so dramatic,” Annabeth rolled her eyes fondly. Percy grinned at her and walked to the shore, touching Jason's shoulder and drying him instantly. “There. Better?”

Jason finally found his voice. “I spent an hour chasing you around the lake thinking you were some lost creature!”

“Hey, I just wanted to swim in peace. Didn’t expect to get chased by you.” Percy shrugged nonchalantly, the smile never leaving his face. “Pretty entertaining though.”

“Entertaining?” Jason sputtered. “I thought you needed help!”

“Sorry, bro,” Percy said, completely unapologetic. “But it was fun watching you trying to catch me.” He shrugged again, looking far too pleased with himself. “What made you think you could catch a seal in the water anyway?”

“I thought you were some poor sea creature trapped in the lake!” Jason threw his hands up. “And you just—what— want to play?”

Annabeth shot Percy a disapproving look but couldn’t hide the amusement in her eyes. “You owe Jason an apology, seaweed brain. You nearly gave Jason a heart attack.”

Percy sighed dramatically and turned to Jason. “Fine, fine. I’m sorry. But look on the bright side, at least you got some swimming practice!”

Jason narrowed his eyes, but he couldn’t stay mad, especially with Annabeth smirking beside him. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.” Percy grinned wider, then motioned to the lake. “But seriously, you should’ve seen your face when I transformed. Classic.”

Jason shook his head, unable to fight the small grin forming on his face. “You're the worst.”

“C’mon,” Percy said, slinging an arm around Jason's shoulders. “Thanks for trying to save me. Now, how about we grab some lunch? Being a seal works up an appetite.”

Jason groaned, but his stomach grumbled in agreement. “Fine, but we're going to the sparring ring after lunch. I'm getting my revenge.”

Percy raised an eyebrow. “Revenge, huh? I’d like to see you try.” He chuckled, but then his face softened slightly. “Seriously though. I’m sorry for messing with you. I didn’t think you’d worry so much.”

Jason shoved him lightly. “It's fine. Just don’t make a habit of it.” He was frustrated, sure, but it was a harmless prank and his annoyance had faded after Percy’s sincere apology. They were cousins — more like brothers, after all.

The three of them made their way back toward the dining pavilion. As they walked, Percy kept throwing out seal-related puns, and despite himself, Jason couldn’t help but laugh along. Maybe having a friend who could turn into a seal would be fun after all—life was certainly more exciting with Percy around.